1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to new dentifrice preparations and more particularly to dentifrice preparations comprising low levels (e.g., about 10-20%, by weight) of a dental abrasive material in combination with an inert filler and one or more detergent agents. Such preparations exhibit significantly reduced abrasion levels, yet surprisingly are as effective in cleaning the teeth as conventional dentrifices containing abrasives at the usual levels of about 40% weight. In addition, where therapeutic anticariogenic agents are incorporated in such preparations, enhanced therapeutic effects are achieved as a result of the reduced abrasive levels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Dental research has developed substantial evidence that beyond the age of forty years loss of teeth is predominantly the result of periodontal involvement rather than dental caries. A factor contributing to periodontal disease is the accumulation of dental plaque and calculus (e.g., salivary tartar) on the teeth. These accumulations result in tissue inflammation of the surrounding gingiva, and, as the condition increases in severity, the supporting bone is also affected. These reactions lead to the destruction of the supporting structures and the subsequent mass loss of teeth.
Heretofore, commercially available dentifrice preparations containing abrasives such as calcium pyrophosphate (Ca.sub.2 P.sub.2 O.sub.7) insoluble sodium metaphosphate (NaPO.sub.3)x, and calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate/anhydrous calcium hydrogen phosphate (CaHPO.sub.4. 2H.sub.2 O/CaHPO.sub.4), have employed relatively high levels of abrasives (e.g., about 40% by weight). While certain of these abrasives, especially calcium pyrophosphate, have demonstrated highly satifactory levels of cleaning and consequently have been effective in preventing the accumulation of materia alba, oral debris, plaque, pellicle, stains, and dental calculus, such preparations have been unduly abrasive and damaging to the oral hard tissues.
Dental researchers have been increasingly concerned about the levels of abrasion experienced with such dentifrice preparations, and it has heretofore been proposed to reduce abrasion levels by lowering the amounts of abrasive employed. In recent years gel-type dentifrices containing as little as 25% abrasive have been commercially used. However, although such products have been somewhat less abrasive, they have also performed much less satisfactorily from a cleaning standpoint.
The beneficial effects, in terms of a reduction in the incidence of dental caries, resulting from the incorporation of water-soluble fluoride salts, such as stannous fluoride, are well known. However, efforts to utilize such anticariogenic agents in dentifrices suitable for home use have been handicapped by the tendency for fluoride ions to be inactivated and rendered unavailable by other ingredients, particularly the abrasive component of such dentifrices. While generally speaking, dentifrice abrasives in therapeutic products used today are to varying degrees compatible with fluoride agents, there is a wide variation in compatibility. Moreover, the high levels of abrasives required to achieve the desired cleaning performance has, in addition to undesirable abrasion, also adversely affected the available anticariogenic agent levels.
Thus, prior art dentifrice preparations have been unsatisfactory in one or more of the following respects, namely, relatively poor cleaning and polishing performances (especially with respect to prevention of re-accumulation of dental calculus, pellicle, materia alba, and the more resistant forms of oral hard tissue stains and pigmentations), incompatibility with fluoride-containing anticariogenic agents, and adverse abrasion.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide dentifrice preparations which exhibit superior cleaning and reduced abrasion.
Another object of the present invention is to provide dentifrice preparations of the character described which are effective in removing stained dental pellicle and similar exogenous accretions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide dentifrice preparations having enhanced anticariogenic agent availability.